How Long Does A Game Of Civ 6 Take?

A game of Civ 6 can take anywhere from a few hours to over 20, depending on your chosen game speed, map size, and victory conditions.

So, you’re diving into the world of Civilization VI, a game known for its depth and replayability. One question always pops up early: how long does a game of civ 6 take? It’s a fair question, since it can feel like a big commitment before you begin.

The length really varies, as it depends on several choices you make before and during the game. A quick game on a small map may wrap up fast. However, a huge map with a long game speed can be a significant time commitment.

How Long Does a Game of Civ 6 Take?

Okay, so you’re ready to dive into the world of Civilization VI, or maybe you’re already a seasoned veteran. Either way, one question probably pops into your head: just how much time am I going to spend playing this game? It’s a fair question! A single game of Civ 6 can range from a quick afternoon session to a multi-day epic. The truth is, there isn’t a single, definitive answer. It all depends on a bunch of different things. Let’s explore the various factors that contribute to the length of a Civ 6 game.

Game Speed Settings: The Time Accelerator

The very first thing that impacts game length is your chosen game speed. Civ 6 offers a few different preset speeds, each significantly changing the overall pace of the game:

Online: This is the fastest setting, designed for very quick matches. If you’re looking for a speedy game, this is your pick. Turns fly by, and you’ll reach the end in less time. A game on Online speed usually lasts about 2-4 hours.
Quick: As the name suggests, this setting is still faster than the standard speed, but gives you a little more time to strategize. Expect a game of this speed to take 4 to 6 hours.
Standard: This is the default setting and provides a balanced experience. It allows you enough time to explore, build, and manage your empire at a comfortable pace. You can expect a standard game to last around 8-12 hours.
Epic: This is where things start to stretch out. Epic speed slows down the game significantly, allowing for a deeper, more strategic experience. It takes quite a bit longer to research new technologies and to build improvements, resulting in games lasting 12 to 20 hours.
Marathon: This is the slowest option, and is perfect for folks who truly want to take their time and see their civilization blossom. Expect the game to take 20+ hours, potentially even several days.

Think of these settings like different speeds on a treadmill. “Online” is like a sprint, while “Marathon” is like a long, slow walk through the park. The chosen speed determines how quickly turns progress and how long the game will last in real-world time.

Map Size and Game Complexity

The size of the game map also heavily influences how long it takes to finish a game. Civ 6 offers a variety of map sizes, each impacting the overall experience.

Duel: This is the smallest map size, perfect for a quick, head-to-head game between two players or civilizations. Games on a duel map finish the quickest.
Tiny: Slightly larger than the duel map, it’s still pretty small and makes for faster-paced games.
Small: A decent size for a more traditional game, but still keeps the pace relatively brisk.
Standard: This is the most common size and provides a good balance between open space and civilization density.
Large: As the name says, it provides more space and more opportunities for different civilizations to interact.
Huge: The largest size, with lots of land and resources. This map size leads to a long game, requiring patience and careful planning.

A larger map means more land to explore, more cities to build, and more civilizations to interact with. This means a longer game overall. The number of civilizations also affect the game time; more civilizations mean more interactions and hence, longer games.

The Impact of Difficulty

Game difficulty plays a part as well. If you’re new to Civ 6 and play on an easier difficulty, you are likely to have a smoother game with fewer setbacks, letting you proceed through the ages more quickly. On the other hand, higher difficulties force you to play more strategically and carefully. You will face challenges that require extra time to overcome. This can draw out the game.

Player Actions and Strategies

How you play also matters. Some players take their time planning each turn carefully, while others rush through. Let’s see how your approach affects the length of your game:

Aggressive Playstyles: If you tend to focus on military conquests and early wars, you might find that your games tend to end sooner, either through domination victory or, possibly, early defeat. Military campaigns require your full attention, but they can end the game quickly.
Cultural or Science Focus: If you are aiming for a cultural or science victory, your games will likely be longer as these paths need more time to develop infrastructure.
Turn Length and Micro-Management: Some players like to carefully consider every decision, spending a lot of time at each turn managing their cities and units. Other players like to just make general plans and move quickly through their turns. If you spend a long time each turn, your game will naturally take longer in real time.

End Game Scenarios

The path you pursue to victory plays a significant role in determining game length. There are several paths to victory in Civ 6:

Domination: This requires you to conquer all other capitals. This is one of the quicker end-game scenarios, especially if you focus on early military aggression.
Science: This requires you to send a spaceship to Mars. This victory type can take quite a bit of time, as it involves a lot of research and planning.
Culture: This involves attracting tourists to your civilization. Cultural victories often take the longest to achieve, as you build up your cultural attractions.
Religious: This involves converting all other civilizations to your religion. This can be a slow, patient process.
Diplomatic: This involves winning the support of all other civilizations through diplomacy.
Score: If no other victory is achieved by the end of the set number of turns, the player with the highest score wins.

These victory types affect how long you will play the game as some victory types are more straightforward than others.

Real-World Interruptions

Let’s not forget real life! Sometimes, other things interrupt our game time. It’s hard to give a perfect estimate of time, as these real-world events make it very hard to predict game length.

Pauses and Breaks: If you pause your game often to take breaks, the total play time will increase.
Distractions: Life happens! Sometimes unexpected things interrupt our games, adding time to the total.
Multiplayer Sessions: Playing online or with friends introduces variability, due to different play styles and pacing.

These factors are less predictable, but they still contribute to the overall amount of time it takes to complete a game of Civ 6.

A General Timeline Breakdown

Here’s a general idea of how long a game might take based on the various factors discussed:

Please remember that this is a very general guide, and your actual game time might differ significantly based on your strategy, interruptions, and other factors.

Tips to Manage Your Game Time

Here are some tips to help you manage your time when playing Civ 6, no matter how much time you are willing to spend playing the game:

Start with Smaller Maps: If you’re short on time, pick a smaller map size. Smaller maps tend to end quickly.
Choose the Quick Game Speeds: Don’t want to spend days on a single game? Go with “Online” or “Quick.”
Set Time Limits: Decide beforehand how much time you want to play and try to stick to it.
Save Frequently: Make sure to save your game often so you can come back to it when you have more time.
Adjust the Difficulty: Pick a lower difficulty to speed up the game, or a higher difficulty if you have more time.
Plan Your Victory: Choose a victory type to pursue and stick to it. This can help focus your strategy and avoid a needlessly long game.

These are just some ways to adjust the game length to your preference. The best way to understand how long your games will last is to experiment with different settings and find a style that fits your schedule.

The length of a game of Civilization VI depends on several things. The game speed setting, map size, number of civilizations, and victory type all play a big part. Your personal play style and other real-world interruptions also affect the time spent playing. Whether you want a quick match or a multi-day epic, Civ 6 offers something for all different playing styles and time commitments. By choosing the correct options that suit your time, you can always get the most out of this game. Remember, it’s about having fun building your civilization, whatever the length of game.

MASTERING the First 10 Turns in Civ 6 | Civilization 6 Guide

Final Thoughts

The length of a Civilization 6 game varies considerably. A standard speed game on a smaller map may take around 6-10 hours. However, large maps or slower game speeds can extend playtimes to 20 hours or more.

Consider your desired pace and map size when starting. Some games can even span multiple play sessions due to the complexity and depth of the gameplay. how long does a game of civ 6 take is really dependent on your choices.